


A Couple of College Credits and His Top Notch Brain

by JadedPrince



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Falling In Love, Little dogs that represent people, Slice of Life, dog walker au, this is exactly what you think it is
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-29
Updated: 2016-08-02
Packaged: 2018-07-10 21:26:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,405
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7008781
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JadedPrince/pseuds/JadedPrince
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>His name is Alexander Hamilton and there's a million dogs he hasn't walked but just you wait.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, this is a really self indulgent fic because I'm a dog walker in NYC and I need to make my job cooler than it actually is by adding love into the mix.

There’s nothing like summer in the city. There’s nothing like boiling alive amongst the concrete, glass, and rushing bodies. People either in far too much of a hurry or far too content with the sun to pay attention to the angry looks and grumbles from those skirting around them. 

Every now and again the air conditioning would come blasting out of a building and the passersby would pause for a moment, realizing just how warm it actually was. Clothes clung to skin and red speckled over arms and legs as the sun continued to pound its way across the city. 

Alexander tugged his phone out of his pocket, checking and double checking the address scrawled across the app in front of him. He had checked the address a dozen times, making sure he was absolutely correct before he even dared set foot into the building. 

It was one of those buildings where it seemed to reaffirm his place in life. This was a building where there were those with money and those who worked for those with money. A building where working for the rest of his life would never even get him a square of concrete in front of the building. 

Becoming a dog walker had never been the plan but when the Office of Financial Aid was about to close around his throat and there was only one way to get the job done. Rather, only one way, one place that would hire him given his soon to be completed Law degree. 

Gritting his teeth as he rounded the corner, Alexander looked over the building matching his address. Towering above him, the building nearly seemed to sparkle as it disappeared up into the sunlight. Two marble lion heads protruded from the building front, guarding the glass revolving door on each side, water spilled from their mouths into shallow pools beneath. 

The urge to reach his hand into the water and splash it onto his face was mind numbing. He gathered his resolve, pushing his way into the building, which, was everything he expected. A marble floor stretched out before him, black and white swirls swimming out under his feet. A sitting area to his left, black leather furniture surround a shining glass coffee table overlooking a mural of a garden on the wall. 

The urge to vomit was also rising in his throat. Pulling out his phone again, he double checked the apartment number and made toward the elevators on the far wall. 

Someone cleared their throat and his eyes shot up, looking around, on the verge of panic. This wouldn’t be the first time he was thrown out of a building for not being believed to be the dog walker. “Sir,” The voice came from a long desk to his right. A short man, full suit, stood behind the gold accented counter with narrowed eyes. “You must have missed the sign on your way in.” He nodded toward, sure enough, a sign just inside the door. “All visitors must be announced.” The short man waved him forward, taking a seat and disappearing from view. 

Oh, right, that should have been a given. “Right, sorry, every building is different. You know they really should make those signs bigger, so you can really get a good look at them instead of assuming.” He tried to play off his mistake with a laugh but the man continued to glare from his seat. There was a long pause, “I’m here to walk the dog in 4P.”

“The lady didn’t say anything about a dog walker today,” The small man grunted, “I suppose you can show me some kind of verification.”

One of these guys. Alexander merely nodded, calmly placing his phone on the counter, “This is our app, right here is the apartment number, the picture of the dog,” Repeating a mantra he had long since practiced, probably due to the fact he looked like a scrappy college student didn’t help the matter any. 

The attendant barely seemed to be listening as he described the company, the rates, he just kept talking and the man remained silent. After a good minute or two, he stopped speaking, “And my walk starts now, so if you would please just allow me to go on up-”

“Let me make the call,” The man snatched up the phone of the desk, “And we will get this settled.”

Alexander plucked the phone back, resisting the urge to roll his eyes as he listened to the man in front of him, “Yes, ma’am, got a man here claiming to be a dog walker,” There was a long pause, “You did, ma’am? I’ll send him up right away, sorry for keeping him.” He clucked his tongue, pointing to the elevators and making no point of apology, “You need to sign here,” He pushed an electronic strip forward, “She’s home and will have him ready when you go up, 4P, you’re looking for the penthouse all the way to the top. Don’t dabble or get lost.”

Mumbling an unenthusiastic thanks and feeling as though he were signing his life away, he moved toward the elevators and jammed the up button, waiting with the mans eyes burning holes into his back. Honestly, he didn’t get paid enough for this. When the doors opened with a soft ding, he was counting his lucky stars, the elevator was empty and he scrambled inside and out of view of the man behind the counter. 

Pushing the floor, he breathed a loud sighed once the door shut and he was able to relax. He leaned against the back wall, pressing his head back against the cool interior of the elevator. Air conditioning, he took that luxury for granted. 

No stops on the way up, the day was pointing in his favor, no one to explain himself to, no dirty looks to stare back into. Maybe he did get paid enough for this after all, if all of his walks only included snarky doormen. 

All too quickly, the elevator slowed its ascent and he straightened himself in preparation for the meeting. So, the owner was a woman, that could mean anything. He had walked dogs for women who played for the New York City ballet, walked dogs of famous Cornell graduate Neurosurgeons, the works. She could be a young woman, an old woman, good looking, or long past her prime. 

Checking his phone again as he moved down the hall, he checked the dog’s photo again, a small lighter brown, from what he could tell, dachshund mix with more spots than he could even count and fluffy ears that dragged along the ground. It was going to be a young woman, he was calling it. He was playing the scenario out in his head, probably married and young, successful husband and that’s how she could afford this place and to be home at noon. 

The only apartment door with a welcome mat, figures. He knocked on the door, louder than he meant to. He would have thought that with apartments this nice they wouldn’t have hollow sounding doors. 

The sounds of scrambling greeted him, the small yaps of a dog on the other side. He had the right apartment, at least, not like trying to explain to a young couple in bathrobes why he was knocking on their door for ten minutes when the apartment he was looking for was a floor up. 

“Coming,” A voice on the other side of the door alerted him, young woman, he called it. The sounds of tiny running paws was audible and he could almost make out the mumbling of curses and he had to stop himself from laughing. “Philip, come here, oh, you bad dog, come back here,” She, as it sounded, was running now too and he couldn’t help the smile on his face. 

A shout of victory met his ears and finally the door was jerked open, a triumphant woman standing in the doorway. Alexander couldn’t breathe, the smile still on his lips as they met eyes. There was a long pause as they looked each other over. The woman in front of him barely cleared his own height, a round face with dark eyes that shined with triumph, her expression warm. Dark hair flowed down her sides, the left stands tucked behind her ear, and she held out the pale blue leash proudly, “Sorry about the delay, new puppy and he doesn’t have a love for his harness just yet.”

Alexander reached forward, gently taking it from her hand, her skin a stark contrast to his own. “No problem at all, I’ve run into quite a few that couldn’t get this far,” He nodded and glanced down at the small dog that trotted out of the apartment, huge bug eyes and more confidence than he’s ever seen in a dog. 

“His name is Philip,” She beamed, catching his eye wandering down, “And he’s a lovely little thing, smart as anything. Oh, and I’m Eliza,” She held out her hand, “Thank you so much for doing this, I know the heat isn’t favorable today, so do as much as you’d like and I’ll pay you for the whole thing.”

Alexander took her hand relishing in the moment, his smile never once faltering, “Alexander, thank you for having me today and it won’t be a problem, I’ll let Philip gauge it.”

Eliza nodded, releasing a small laugh that made his chest ache, “I’ll be here when you’re done and sorry about the doorman, Eacker, he’s kind of a stick in the mud. Thank you, Alexander.” She waved before returning back behind the cream door of her apartment. 

In that moment he made up his mind, staring down at the little thing trotting around his ankles, he had decided that this was going to be the best dog walk of his life. 

But in fact it turned into the worst dog walk of his life, this dog had no understanding of slowing down. Philip ran in zig zags across the sidewalk, had to stop and examine everything that covered the ground. Trashcans, cross walk signs, corners of buildings, a discarded desk chair, store front doors, anything and everything this dog had to stop and investigate. And yapping, this dog had more to say than most of the other law students at Columbia combined. 

No one was safe from his incessant barks, no man, woman, or child could be spared as this dog went along announcing his presence. After twenty minutes, a headache was already forming and the sound already made his skin crawl. Stopping in an empty space next a store front, he confronted the dog, “Is all the barking really necessary?” The pup just looked up at him, tongue lulling out of his mouth with his short pants. “Thank you.” 

Philip wiggled in place, butt an uncontrollable force as he watched the people walked by and Alexander fished the water bottle out of his bag and sucked about half of it down before he heard a small whine. Glancing down, Philip placed a paw down on his shoe, eyes set on his water bottle. 

“Oh, right, I’m sure you’re thirsty too,” He knelt down and Philip waited patiently as Alexander poured a small amount into his hand. Philip lapped at the water, wiggling happily and spinning in a few circles. Standing, he shoved the bottle back into his bag, shaking his head down at the pup was off and ready to go again. 

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Alexander rounded the corner of the the apartment building that Philip went crazy over. Barking and yapping he tugged toward the building with off of the force he could muster. Not being able to stand it much longer, he scooped the dog into his arms and made his way inside. 

The doorman, Eacker, glared from behind his desk and Alexander threw up a hand. “Just returning him, Eliza said she would be home.”

“Let me call up the lady to see,” The doorman raised an eyebrow, “Don’t move until I call her, hear me?”

Alexander just smiled, gritting his teeth as he stood in the middle of the lobby with the small dog in his arms. Phillip seemed very interested in his predicament, taking the opportunity to check out the view of his home from such heights. 

“Dog walker,” He grumbled into the phone, “Yes, ma’am, same one as before,” Alexander could see the shock rippling over his face, “No, ma’am, my vision is perfectly fine,” There was a long pause, “Yes, ma’am.” He placed the phone back in it’s place, pointing to the elevator, “Trust you know where to go.”

Alexander raised an eyebrow at him but otherwise followed his directions, taking place in front of the elevator as promised. Philip wiggled in his arms, suddenly very curious of the man holding him, making a point to rub his wet nose all over the front of Alexander’s shirt. 

Sighing, the soft ding was his saving grace as he stepped, pushing the number for the floor and releasing the pup back to the floor. Philip, however, was not amused and sat right down and looked up at him expectantly. “I don’t have anything for you.” He told the dog, leaning back against the wall and closing his eyes. 

Philip whined, placing his paw on Alexander’s shoe, causing him to look down at the pup with a skeptical one eyed glance. The pup whined again and Alexander sighed, scooping the dog up into his arms where he wiggled happily and licked a grateful stripe up Alexander’s cheek. 

The door opened at that moment, another beautiful nonstop trip upstairs. He made to put Philip down but the dog growled at him, this little speckled dachshund actually growled at him. Making his way, in disbelief, to Eliza’s apartment, he knocked on her door with her dog in hand. 

“Coming,” Her voice came beautifully from the other side of the door and it was pathetic how it made his chest ache. He could hear her footsteps and the creak of the door as it opening, “Oh, I forgot to mention he likes to be held,” She laughed and he felt as though he could die happy as she scooped Philip up from his arms. “Sorry about that, oh, and I also took care of the doorman, so he won’t be a problem for the next walk.” She smiled and cradled the dog in her arms, peppering him with kisses. “Philip wasn’t any trouble for you, was he?”

“Not at all,” He answered too quickly, causing her to laugh, “He wasn’t a problem at all, just wanted my water bottle and I had to fight him a bit over it.” Exaggerating, yeah, but the way her eyes lit up made the entire account worth it. 

“Alexander, right?” She spoke his name and he never wanted to hear another soul speak it again, “Thank you so much for doing this and I am glad your water bottle is safe. I’ll see you tomorrow?”

His heart pounded in his chest as he threw her a smile, “Tomorrow for sure.” 

Turning back into her apartment, she closed the door and in that moment if he might die, it might as well be then. He had class tomorrow but that could all wait for a little dog and his owner that he had too look up her last name on a dog walking app.


	2. Day Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I just have to win over a grumpy doorman and a dog and everything will be smooth sailing."

“What do you mean you’re skipping today? Alexander, you know we have a project due next week.” The groan slipped out from across the room followed by a dull thump as John Laurens collapsed back on his bed, arms spread and feet dangling off the end.

Primping and preening in front of the full length mirror that was haphazardly duct taped to the studio door, Alexander caught his friend’s reflection and rolled his eyes. “You know I always manage to pull these things off, it’ll be fine, John.”

“We’re so close to graduation, Alexander, I can’t take another failed project or my heart will give out and I’ll have died with all this schooling and I’m too young for this.” John threw up a hand, reaching toward the ceiling, “Too young, too attractive, too much homework, not enough freedom fighting, it would be a tragic ending and you wouldn’t be allowed to be apart of it because it would all be your fault.”

Alexander snorted, turning around, “First of all, I would definitely be allowed to go considering I would be the one making the loud and incredibly drunken speech about your short life and watch every woman in the room, it would probably be filled with mostly women mourning the loss of the most attractive man in this part of the country, burst into puddles of tears as I fill your casket with all the alcohol you would ever need for the next life while somehow connecting it back to youth and the fragility of life,” He paused for a moment realizing he was too caught up in the fantasy, “Honestly though, when have I ever let you down with a project? Besides that, you know I always get it done, it’s just the matter of presenting that’s always up in the air.” He shrugged, turning back to the mirror to run his fingers back through his and frowning at the loose strands that tangled in his fingers. 

“Dropping my death scenario because now I’m uncomfortable,” John raised his head, trying to lock eyes with Alexander in the mirror but he was grandly ignored, “Up in the air? Do you not remember our last project almost getting us both kicked from the class, having to publicly apologize, and writing a correctional behavior essay about how calling someone a “fat motherfucker” isn’t a great debate technique? Does that not ring a bell because it was monumentally probably the best moment of my college life and it would be a shame to forget about it.”

Alexander grinned, moving over to the small kitchen space to grab a hair tie off the counter, “It was pretty great, it’s not my fault that Adams had no clue what he was talking about in his presentation and I had to raise the IQ in the room before it lulled everyone into a coma.”

John shook his head, “Look, man I love you, but we’ve got to pass this because bottom line I can’t take another failing grade or my father will have my ass and you could get your scholarship revoked.”

Alexander shook his head, turning around as he began to pull his hair back and off his neck, “Good old Henry Laurens, back at it again with the threats,” He rolled his eyes, “They won’t revoke my scholarship this close to graduation, you know that.”

John frowned, “Man, you know those threats aren’t a joke. I gotta graduate and then I’m free of him, you know?”

Turning slowly, he nodded, “I’m sorry, John, I’ll work on my slides tonight, I promise. You know I wouldn’t leave you high and dry now.” He managed a weak smile, “We’re so close to being done and you’ve got a lifetime of marches to plan.”

John grinned and Alexander nearly took a sigh of relief, “You had better fucking believe that I do.”

Alexander laughed at the spark of life that suddenly returned to the man in front of him, “I have to get going soon and you’ve got a class to catch.” He winked, turning back around to the mirror to check that his hair was in place.

John groaned and collapsed back onto his bed in light of the class reminder, “In other news though, do I get to come back to the apartment tonight or should I be on the look out for a sock on the door? A text would be nice, yeah, or a phone call while she's in the bathroom, so we don’t have a repeat of what happened last time. I’m always considerate, dropping a text or some shit.” He shook his head, “But, oh no, the tomcat can’t be bothered to send his best buddy a text when he’s rounding bases on the bathroom sink. I didn’t even know the sink was strong enough to hold both our toothbrushes let alone a girl.”

Alexander rolled his eyes, “Yes, you get to come back tonight and, look, it’s not my fault that you couldn’t hear what was going on, we were plenty loud enough. And, man, I know, that sink held it’s own, I was so proud of it that I cleaned the entire thing the next day, polished her up real nice. That aside though, do I look like I’m ready for a date? I’m walking dogs this afternoon.” 

John raised an eyebrow, “Uh huh, dog walking, that’s why you’ve been staring into that mirror for the last twenty minutes and fixing your hair. Spill it, you were glowing when you came back yesterday and you either got laid somehow, which is concerning because I know you were walking, or you somehow came into loads of money in which I need to know about because it probably wasn’t legal.”

Alexander waved him off, “Nothing like that, I wish, but nothing like that. My job just got a bit more interesting is all I’m saying, don’t want to jinx it or anything but,” He plopped down next to John on the bed and watched him scramble not to fall into the sudden dip, “Let’s just say that this dachshund I met yesterday might be the key to my future.”

“And you say that I’m dramatic?” John laughed once he managed to sit up and playfully push him away, “Go walk your dachshund and I expect a full and updated report by the end of it to keep me awake during this class and,” He winked, “If I should come back or not. They better be worth it is all I’m saying.” He teased as Alexander rose to his feet. 

“She’s a dream,” Alexander grinned, scooping his bag up from his bed, “I just have to win over a grumpy doorman and a dog and everything will be smooth sailing. I’ll keep you updated.” He threw up a hand as he pulled open the door and caught a last glimpse of John throwing up a fist and shouting something encouragingly vulgar. 

* * *  
Triple checking the address, he rounded the corner again, scanning over every detail to set into his memory. Giant sparkling building is a check, fountain lions are a go, he noted as he waited for the door to drag themselves open and the cool air to greet him that he could get used to this. 

Immediately, walking into the building the looming dread of the doorman hit his stomach but as he walked up to the desk there didn’t seem to be anyone behind it. Frowning as moved closer, no there wasn’t anyone there, leaning over the top to check the empty seat for sure, no one seemed to be there. He frowned, knowing better than to just walk to the elevator anyway. 

Clearing his throat, he attempted to make some noise as he looked around the extravagant and utterly vacant lobby to make sure Eacker wasn’t just lurking. The more he looked around the more he wondered what it must be like to make the kind of money to live in a place with a garden mural on the wall and marble floors.

“Retreat!” The shout made him jump, his eyes going wide with surprise as he whipped around to find the source of the noise, “No, no, retreat, I said retreat, go back or you’ll never get back to goal in time, see he got it! That’s another goal you could’ve avoided!” A slender men stomped out of a doorway behind the desk, the door hanging open behind him and revealing a small, what looked to be a supplies closet, with a small flickering light and he assumed was a small television.

Alexander cracked a weak smile that made the other man glare coldly at him and bite out, “No one comes in the building at this hour, what do you want?”

Immediately Alexander’s smile faded, replaced with narrowed eyes, “I was here yesterday, here to walk Phillip in 4P.” He began reaching for his phone but the man just held up a hand. 

“Well, I wasn’t here yesterday,” He grumbled, “So you’re the new walker?” Bending over the computer keyboard and punching in something he continued, “Figures, the lady didn’t take too kindly to the other one.” 

“I wasn’t aware she used the app before,” Alexander replied dully, tilting his head a bit so he could get the name pinned to the other man’s chest, Lee was spelled in swirling golden letters. “Not that it’s really any of my business, the name Lee sounds familiar, it’s not Charles, it is?”

Immediately, the man stiffened, his typing paused for half a second as he looked up, “Maybe it is. Sign there,” He nodded toward the small electronic pad in front of him, “Then just go on up, note here says she’s expecting you and, man, she must have wrung out Eacker yesterday because there’s some notes here that,” He trailed off, absorbed in the screen for a second before realizing Alexander was still standing there, “Go on up and I don’t care when you check out, not part of my job.” He grunted roughly before disappearing behind the door with a loud slam. 

Shaking his head, Alexander made his way over to the elevator, “Charles Lee,” The name still rung a bell with him but he shook his head anyway, he’d have to ask John why the name sounded so familiar. 

The elevator ride was the most calm part of the adventure so far, checking his phone and breathing a sigh of relief that he was still early after the whole front desk incident. His chest went through a series of skips as the glowing number climbed higher and he drummed his fingers nervously on his thigh. 

The elevator signaled his arrival with a small ding and the hallway opened into view, spilling himself out into it he checked the numbers on the hall, double checking it was the right door before knocking. Again, strangely hollow doors alerted his presence and the barking ensued. Perfect. 

Standing back a bit, he waited, and sure enough the skittering of paws met his ears but he couldn’t make out what the voices were saying. He frowned, there were two this time. Anxiety pooled in his stomach, he had forgotten the plot line where she might already be married to someone important. 

Dreading the door opening, another woman appeared in the doorway who was equally as beautiful to the woman who greeted him yesterday but his heart didn’t pound the same way. Was there something in this building’s water he should know about? She smiled, almost gratefully, as she held out the blue leash from the day before and watched as Phillip trotted out into the hall. 

“Angelica, did you get the door? Oh, hold on a moment-” Eliza’s voice sounded distant in the apartment followed by the sounds of small objects falling to the floor. His heart beat a little faster than he ever anticipated it would. 

Angelica cut her off and he could see the amusement playing in her eyes, “You are not answering this door in a towel, mama, at least not while your sisters are here. Do what you want on non familial time.” She trilled back into the apartment, a cry of distress, and laughter meeting his ears.

He couldn’t help but to smile, taking the leash from her hand and watching as Angelica turned her attention onto him, “Angelica Schuyler, you must be the new dog walker.” She held out her hand. 

Slipping the loop of the leash around his other wrist he took her hand, her grip firm as they shook, “It seems I am, Alexander Hamilton.” He rolled his name off his tongue, watching her eyebrows arch up. 

“Hamilton,” She played with the name on her tongue, a curious expression spreading over her face, “Hamilton, where’s your family from?”

Alexander in turn shot her back a curious look, “Unimportant, isn’t it? I walk dogs for a living right now but give me some some and it won’t be what I’m remembered for. A “just you wait,” if you will.” He grinned to hide the fact that the line he hadn’t spilled wasn’t sweet enough to cause instant cavities. 

Angelica grinned, “Huh, New Walker is clever too but is he as charming as the last one? We’ll find out. See you in a half hour, Alexander Hamilton.” She tossed him a wink and closed the door, Phillip immediately looking up at him and sending up a friendly bark or two. 

Most of the walk was spent in utter confusion, Alexander not truly paying attention as he walked the streets, dog tugging in every direction and his mind just about following the same path. They were a rich enough family to know other families by last names, that was kind of a given with the building looking the way it does. Eliza has sisters that don’t live with her, that’s another check, he could live with that. Angelica seemed sharp, that could be fun to banter with. Also, Eliza was going to open the door in a towel, what exactly did that mean? He spent thirty minutes trying to figure that out and before he realized it he was back in front of the building with a yapping dog on his heels and passers by glaring in his direction. Oops. 

He glanced down at the small dog that was prancing around his ankles, “So, I guess you enjoyed your walk?” At the word walk, Phillip tried to take off toward the direction of the street but Alexander pulled him back. “Taking that as a yes.” He sighed, tugging the small pup back into the building. The cold air making him realize just how warm it had been outside and suddenly was incredibly grateful that he was distracted. 

Tugging at his collar, he glanced over to the empty doorman’s desk, muffled shouts coming from behind the door. Charles Lee. There were new names swimming around in his mind, overbearing along with the yaps from the dog trying to scamper all about the lobby. 

Giving up on letting Phillip have any freedom, he scooped the small daschaund up from the floor and immediately the little thing was quiet. Alexander shook his head, “Really?” He asked, greeted by a nose pressed to his cheek. Sighing, he pressed the elevator button and watched as the pup in his arms began a thorough inspection. 

The little nose was pressed against his neck, his ear, even disregarded the fact that Alexander had spent so much time tying his hair up and greedily shoved his nose into his ponytail. The elevator finally reached them with a soft ding and an older couple stepped out, sending him daggers as they made a wide girth of walking distance around him. The usual. 

The elevator ride proceeded with the same results, this dog entirely too convinced in smelling every inch of him, from ground level to 4P, this dog was relentless. Finally, the knock on the apartment door broke Phillip of his mission and he squirmed in Alexander’s arms. 

He nearly sighed in relief as the familiar brown eyes greeted in the doorway, light flooding through them, “Sorry about that earlier,” Eliza smiled, “My sisters came for the weekend and decided not to let me know, uh,” She faltered for a moment, a definite question on her lips. 

He took the moment to try and piece himself together and not stare too long at the pale blue cocktail dress that clung to her hips and made his knees weak. 

“Thanks for the walk today, I definitely needed it.” She scooped Phillip up from his arms and pressed a kiss to the top of his head, he took that moment to notice her hair pulled back into a tight bun with two long curls framing her face and swinging as she looked up at him, eyes wide lips poised as if to say something. 

“No problem with the walk, it was nice,” Alexander tried to pave the way for smooth, “Definitely enjoy your weekend, let me know if you’ll be needing anymore walks, you’ve got my information.” He smiled, holding up his phone. Okay, not as smooth as he would have liked but it left her an opportunity to say something. 

“Right, I’ll let you know.” Her smile was strained and Alexander felt his heart slowly deflating. “I might definitely be needing some more soon.”

“Thank you then, take care.” He threw up a hand, feeling his stomach churning as he turned away. 

“Alexander, wait a moment,” His heart soared as he turned and she took a few steps forward, dog bouncing in her arms, “Uh, I’d like to go ahead and book another walk.”

“Great, he turned back, when would you like me to sched-"

Eliza winced, cutting him off, “But not like a dog walk, that’s not what I mean, but that is kind of what I mean. Ah,” She shook her head, “I mean, like a walk with me, oh god, that’s not what I meant.” 

“She wants to invite you to dinner tomorrow night,” A voice came from the doorway, a smaller girl and younger than either of the two he had met before.

“Peggy, we promised we wouldn’t- you’re right,” Angelica’s head popped into the doorway as well, “Apparently there’s a love at first sight plot line going on here and I like him, so why not tomorrow night and we can stop beating this around the bush.”

Eliza looked mortified, her mouth popping open as she scrambled for words. 

“Tomorrow night?” Somehow, through all of this, Alexander managed to keep a straight face and nodded in ernest. 

“Yes,” Eliza breathed, the word with hardly any bearing and more of a sigh, “Yes,” She reaffirmed, straightening a little and Phillip watching her intently, “I don’t usually ask my dog walkers out on dates, I-” Her words failed her again. 

“She thinks you’ve got enough chemistry from walking her dog twice that something could happen,” The younger girl spoke up and Angelica rolled her eyes, “Peggy’s got a way with words, that’s why her other twelve gentleman callers all think they’re the only ones.” 

“Excuse you, I don’t see you running around with anyone, Miss Looking for a Mind at Work, what does that even mean anyway? More like Hand Over the Most Boring Politician you Can Find.” Peggy spat back and the two disappeared to continue their argument inside the apartment with muffled shouts. 

Eliza shook her head, a laugh slipping out from her lips, “Sorry about them, I kind of called them last night and they ran with it. Are you really okay with meeting tomorrow? I kind of lost my place there for a hot minute.”

Alexander smiled, completely and utterly amused by the entirety of the situation, “Yes, I’m more than happy to come tomorrow, don’t apologize for them, I think my friends would have done the same.”

Eliza shook her head, “Siblings, what can you do? They don’t like me living up here all by myself, that’s probably more than I should have told someone I’ve only met for five minutes, it’s been that kind of day. Anyway, I’ll see you tomorrow around eight?”

“That sounds perfect, I would offer to shake on that or something but the dog.” He trailed off, amusement shining in his features. 

“Oh, right, uh,” She made to put Phillip down but the growl was apparent and for once in his life he envied a dog, “Here, just ignore him for a moment.” She moved forward, shifting him to one arm and reaching out. 

They both broke into laughter at the side hug that sealed the deal. 

Alexander’s cheeks hurt by the time he made it back to his apartment, completely oblivious to the fact that John had sent him a text message not to come home and when he opened the door there was a nice surprise waiting for him in the glow of the bathroom door being open. 

“I told you I send texts!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, whenever I walk this dog at this apartment now it's like "Oh yeah, I'm using this as a set for a fictional romance using our founding fathers" and it freaks me out because I always forget. Anyway, dog walker romance and, oh boy, it's only started. Also, totally come and talk to me at doievenmakeasound.tumblr.com!


	3. Chapter 3

“It’s my fault, really, for giving the idea in the first place, I knew I should have kept her out of the conversation,” Alexander grumbled, shaking his head down at the beer bottle in his hand. “This is all my fault.”

Seated next to him on the small futon, Lafayette shook his head, genuine sadness flowing over his features as he tried to comfort him, “I am so sorry, mon cher,” He sighed, gently reaching over to pat his leg, “It must have been terribly traumatizing.”

“To say the least,” Alexander mumbled sadly, sliding sadly over to rest his head on the other man’s shoulder, “I really and truly loved her.”

Lafayette nodded slowly, shifting his beer to his other hand so that he could reach around to stroke his fingers through Alexander’s hair, “I know, I know you did, and with good reason too. I have had my fair share of these things happen with Monsieur Mulligan, it never feels the same afterwards.”

Just as Alexander was about to respond the door to the apartment swung open, a pile of fabric greeting them as it walked through the door. “Laf, could you help me for a minute?” A muffled voice called out from inside the layers of colors. 

“Speak of the devil, Monsieur Mulligan himself,” He shook his head, “I am helping our grieving friend and am unable to assist, my apologies.”

A small grunt came from behind the stack and it unceremoniously dropped to the floor, a Mulligan materialized with hands on his hips, “What’s all this about grieving?” He shook his head as he closed the door behind him meanwhile glaring down at the pile at this feet. 

“Monsieur Hamilton is having a crisis,” He held up his free hand, pointing to the man next to him as though Mulligan hadn’t been able to see him, “He is in need of some emotional support.”

Mulligan raised an eyebrow, tearing his eyes away from the fabric pile, “Man, what’s so important that you both are weepy and beer drunk?”

Alexander buried his head into the crook and Lafayette’s neck and Lafayette cooed softly to him, wrapping both arms around him and holding him tightly. 

“You are being insensitive, he has lost something incredibly precious, a first true love, if you will,” Lafayette shook his head in distaste, “You, of all people should know about that.”

“You’ve lost me,” Mulligan rolled his eyes, “But I’ll take one of those beers, they in the fridge?” He didn’t bother to wait for an answer, abandoning his fabric pile to raid the small fridge and claim his prize, retrieving the brown bottle and snapping the cap off on the counter, classic. 

“Help yourself, you insensitive oaf,” Lafayette scolded and watched as Mulligan raised his eyebrows in surprise mid-sip, “We are in mourning over the loss of something truly special for men such as yourselves.”

Mulligan lowered his drink, snapping his fingers, the lightbulb going off above his head, “Your English is getting better and John fucked someone on the “go-to” sink, didn’t he?”

Alexander wailed in response and Lafayette set forward a series of shushes, patting Alexander’s back to try and soothe him but only managed to slosh beer down the back of his shirt. 

“That sucks, man, a spot like that is sacred and obviously legendary,” Mulligan clucked his tongue, taking the opportunity to step over his fabric pile and plop down next to them, making the overcrowding of the friendly neighborhood futon nearly unbearable. “So, are we gonna go throw rocks at the window, call him mom or somethin’, or you just gonna give him the night?”

Alexander craned his neck around to glare at him, “I’m not a child anymore, I am a grown man who is in love and I’ll never be able to share that sink with her now, please, it’s hardly the time for games.”

Lafayette blinked out of his concerned stupor, “Wait a moment, Alexander, you’re in love? You don’t share a sink with the person you’re in love with.”

Mulligan nearly spat out his beer, “What the fuck, man, you don’t give the proper lady person the sink treatment.”

“I did not raise you to be this way. If you are in love with them then they don’t ever get to see the “go-to” sink.” Disgusted, Lafayette smacked the man on the back of his head and withdrew his arms to fold them across his chest. 

“You come into our apartment speaking this nonsense, beer drunk or not, you’re gonna be sleeping on the street. Good for John, probably did that on purpose.” Mulligan sighed heavily, “The bullshit we have to put up with, Laf.”

Lafayette nodded, wrinkling his nose in disgust. 

Alexander glared at each of them in turn, mashed between the two, he was whipping his head back and forth in an angry drunken manner, “I didn’t mean that we should go straight to the sink. There’s dinner involved first and it’s not even at my place. Besides, I don’t even want to do that at first, no I want to woo her first, you know? Write her sappy love letters and properly invite her to share my sink. Alexander Hamilton is nothing if not a gentleman.

Mulligan and Lafayette both shot each other the same look, pulling themselves up from the couch and watching as Alexander fell to the side, glaring up at them. 

“We need a name, Alexander,” Lafayette shook his head, crossing his arms, “We thought you could do this on your own but you are going to need some help if you want to keep this one.”

“And the date of the date,” Mulligan frowned, “Date of the date, the date you’re going to go on a date with your date, the name of the date on the date you’re going to date.” 

Lafayette place on a hand on Mulligan’s shoulder, “Mon cher,” He paused long enough for Mulligan to look over at him, “Shut up.”

Alexander looked between the two of them, resistance was futile, “Elizabeth Schuyler and tomorrow night.

Mulligan slapped a hand to his forehead, letting out a long whistle, “Damn, son, do you know you’ve chosen the furtherest from a sink girl there is? How did you manage that one? You don’t meet someone like that at a bar, she’s goin’ to straight up cocktail parties and shit. 

“I walked her dog twice.” Alexander grumbled, bringing his bottle to his lips and trying to sadly guzzle down the last drops but ultimately the position only helped him manage to inhale his alcohol and leaving him a coughing mess. 

“He has a gift.” Mulligan whispered to himself, eyes wide. 

Lafayette raised an eyebrow at him but otherwise remained silent. 

Mulligan shook his head, clearing himself from his fascinated daze, clucked his tongue, and moved to plop himself down on the couch and swat Alexander’s beer away, the now empty glass clunking down to the floor. He tugged the still sputtering man by the collar and wrapped an arm around his shoulders, “Listen to me, Alexander,” He gestured out toward the shabby studio, “This, my son-”

Lafayette cleared his throat and Mulligan nodded, adding him to his speech, “Our son, dearest Hamilton, everything the dirt touches is our kingdom. Every back alleyway leading to the sleaziest bars, the cheapest beer we can find on the back of the shelves because that’s always guaranteed coldest, a bottomless pit of attractive people in night clubs made so by all the vodka we consume beforehand, this is all ours. ”

Alexander nodded, taking an exaggerated look around the room, “Wow, that’s-”

Mulligan shushed him, using the hand that was closest to place over his mouth, still gesturing with the other, “There comes a time when the king, as a ruler of his kingdom,” Lafayette gestured to Mulligan and Mulligan nodded knowingly, “That’s me, anyway, rises and falls like the sun. One day, well it’s night now, so that’s shit’s already happened and I didn’t even know about it but the sun will set on my time here, and the sun will rise with you as the new king, got it?”

Alexander wiped his tongue over Mulligan’s hand, immediately causing him to draw back in disgust, “And this’ll all be mine?”

“Everything,” Mulligan scoffed, wiping his hand on his jeans, “Kind of,” He leaned forward, “You are going to transform this kingdom because you’re playing for the big leagues now, man. We are talking penthouse suite parties that you have to be wearing a three piece to get into, champagne and fruity cocktails, the absolute works,” He trailed off for a moment, suddenly overcome with emotion, “Two ply toilet paper.”

Lafayette rolled his eyes, reaching out his hand for Alexander to take, pulling him up from the couch, “What he means to say is that this could be your chance at true love and we are happy for you but don’t fuck it up.”

Mulligan stood to join them, shaking off his moment of weakness. Clasping a hand on Alexander’s back, “True love and no more shitty beer drunk nights of passing out on our futon distressed because you liked getting lucky on a fucking sink, man.”

Lafayette rolled his eyes, “And he and John have the bar scene back and all to themselves.

Mulligan scoffed at the thought, “Please, I’m just trying to help a buddy out,” He paused, “And if you stole my date one more time I was going to castrate you but that’s not the point.”

Shaking his head, Lafayette gently pushed Alexander toward the futon, “Tomorrow is going to be the best day of your life but tonight we still have the rest of that beer in the fridge and your last night of freedom.”

Mulligan slapped his hands together, “Alright, fellas, since we’re all too broke to go out I’ll fire up the the laptop. Laf, go ahead and pull out the case. We’ve got to celebrate.”

Alexander rolled his eyes as the two split off into opposite directions, “How exactly are we going to celebrate with the three of us, a laptop, and beer?”

Mulligan grinned, tugging Alexander down onto the futon with him, gesturing for Lafayette to hurry up, “It’s ain’t no celebration without beer, good friends, hurting wallets, and four seasons of _Cutthroat Kitchen_.”

 * * *

The next morning came earlier than they all anticipated, loud banging on the door causing Alexander to jump up so fast he nearly fell off the futon. Blinking the sleep from his eyes, he checked on the other two, both sound asleep in their respective beds in various positions of pillow and blanket clinging unrest. 

Neither of them moved as the banging only grew louder and more frantic, a muffled voice calling out from the other side. 

“No, guys, I’ve got it, don’t worry,” He grumbled as he slowly rose to his feet, shuffling through the series of beer bottles all thrown about, “I’ve got it.”

Immediately upon opening the door, he regretted it, “Rise and shine, rise and shine,” A grinning Laurens burst through the door opening, nearly knocking Alexander over, but John managed to catch him by the shoulders, righting him before shoving his face into Alexander’s. “You’ve got a date with a Schuyler sister and you didn’t tell me? My god, I could kiss you.”

Alexander rubbed at his eyes, still not completely coherent as the other man was teeming with life,“I mean the tension has been there for awhile, man, but it’s a little late to initiate this now,”

Laughing, John took a moment to look him over before he lunged forward and pressed a sloppy kiss to his cheek. 

“Well, if this is what I wake up to every morning then Alexander can move in,” Lafayette, sitting up with his blanket draped around his shoulders, called out to them.

“Oh no, we’re prepping him for the big leagues, Johnny, sit down.” Mulligan taunted, standing with his blanket cape. 

“I am the big leagues, thank you,” John released Alexander from his grip and stepping fully into the apartment to look around. “And if she says no I fully expect to be next on the list because it takes jealously for you to find your true feelings,” He teased, “But first things first,” He yanked his phone out of his pocket, “The fact that no one called and told me and I had to find out from James Madison is so awful it’s practically a sin.”

“Madison called you?” Alexander tilted his head, “We all haven’t been friends since,” He paused for a moment, counting out the dates in his head, “Fuck, probably freshman year.”

“Ugly motherfucker.” Mulligan grumbled and the entire room turned to stare at him for a long moment. 

“Anyway,” John continued to break the silence, “No, no, he didn’t call me,” John held up his phone, “He texted me, didn’t even know he still had my number. Guys, I woke up to four group chats this morning, including his text message, all asking about my best buddy hooking up with Manhattan elites. How come I’m the last to know?”

Alexander shook his head, “That doesn’t make any sense, no one else should know since I only told these two.”

“Don’t look at me,” Lafayette held up a hand, “I didn’t tell anyone and we were all here together last night.”

Mulligan nodded in agreement, “You’re sure you didn’t tell anyone else?”

“No, we made the date and then I came home, which, by the way, I’m pissed at you for,” Alexander gestured at John, “Then I came here and got drunk with Laf and then you came home,” He gestured at Mulligan, “Quoted _The Lion King_ at me and then we all watched three seasons of Cut-“

“Don’t tell me I missed Cutthroa- oh shit,” John mumbled under his breath, distracted as his phone lit up, “You guys, so I hadn’t read these group messages before now,” He paused, eyes scanning over the screen, “You’re not the only one at the school that belongs to that dog company.”

Alexander shook his head, “The doorman mentioned another walker before me but I never found out the name. Never asked for it, I guess, what are the odds other law students are walking dogs for a living when they’re all skiing on the weekends? Speaking of the doorman though, did a guy named Charles Lee used to go here?”

“You mean the guy that got kicked out of school for betting on national soccer teams?” John mumbled offhand, still scanning the messages.

“Yeah,” Mulligan nodded, “Like, apparently he was swapping team secrets from the English and the US teams, it was like some international thing and he disappeared from school and no one ever heard from him again.” 

“Oh, yeah,” Alexander snapped his fingers, “He’s the doorman at the apartment building now.”

Mulligan shook his head, “Damn, hard to imagi-“

John groaned, shaking his head as he held his phone up, “Yo, would you listen to me for like two seconds, I know how all this information got out and you’re not going to like it.”

Alexander rolled his eyes, “I didn’t figure I would like it but-”

John gently punched his arm, “Dude, this is important. We know who the other walker is and it’s not going to be pretty when he finds out you’ve replaced him. The other walker was-”

* * *

“Aaron Burr,” Eliza peeked out from behind her phone, waiting for her sister to look up. Several moments passed by causing her to frown, “Hasn’t contacted you since, well, the incident, right?” Still nothing, Angelica seemed too engaged in some kind of massive text messaging battle with her eyes narrowed and her fingers flying across her screen. 

Shaking her head from her curled up position on her recliner, she reached out a hand to her sister who, in turn, was sprawled across Eliza’s love seat with her phone in the air just inches above her face. “Angelica, come on,” She waved her hand around but that still had no bearing on her sister, “Are you really this oblivious right now or are you bluffing?” The continued silence was her response. 

Placing her phone down on the arm of her chair, she loudly cleared her throat, hoping she would receive some kind of response. Nothing. Looking around for a moment, she spotted it, a small pillow she had made awhile back when she had been far too cooped up and spent too many hours on Pinterest. With an old dress lying around and her sewing kit she had gotten herself into many miscellaneous craft projects, pillow being the product. She sent it flying. 

Flying right into Angelica’s lap, she snapped her head up to stare at her sister for a moment, fingers hovering above her screen, “I’m sorry, were you saying something?”

“Aaron,” Eliza grinned triumphantly but as soon as the name crossed her lips her smile faded, “Hasn’t contacted you again, right?”

Angelica rolled her eyes plucking the pillow up from her lap to place behind her head and gestured to her phone, “What do you think I’m doing right now other than putting him in his place?”

Eliza shook her head in resignation, sighing, “Don’t you think that encouraging him is a bad idea?”

Angelica raised an eyebrow but otherwise returned her eyes to her screen, “I’m not encouraging him, I’m ending this,” She paused for a moment before continuing thumping her fingers across her screen, “Besides, this is the only way he can reach me because if he ever steps foot in this building again I will end him.”

“Well, I hope it gives you some closure then,” Disappointment flooding through her tone as she stood and stretched, “I have a date to get ready for here soon. Do you think I should cater something in or should I attempt to cook?”

Angelica faltered in her reply, lowering her phone as she mulled over her sister’s words, “Why don’t I help you make something?” She offered with a weak smile, tossing her phone to the depths of the couch, swinging her legs over the side, and pulling herself up, “I’m sure we could even drag Peggy up and she would help.”

Eliza grinned, taking a step forward to take her sister’s hands, “You really are going to help me with this tonight?”

Angelica nodded, pulling her sister into a tight hug, “Anything for you,” She pulled back and cupped her sister’s face in her hand, “Plus, I think this one might be a little fun.”

Eliza laughed, gently pushing her away and walking toward the kitchenette, “Please, I owe this date to the both of you, I kind of crumbled.”

“You disintegrated, crumbled doesn’t even begin to describe it,” Angelica chuckled, pulling  out some pans from underneath the sink, “I’ve never seen you completely lose yourself like that before.”

“I know,” Eliza sighed, pulling open the fridge and crouching to get a better look at what was inside, “I’m surprised he even gave me the time of day after that.”

“It was cute, honestly,” Angelica teased, placing her pans on the island, and taking a step back to observe them, “His eyes just shone with this, like,” She gestured outward, looking for the words, “This affection, this life. He’s not like the last bozo who walked in here and now won’t leave me alone.”

Eliza shook her head, “He does have the most expressive eyes” She smiled, pulling out whatever she could find and placed it onto the counter with a small sigh, “Either way, the last one is gone and we need to move forward because I don’t have any idea of what we should make tonight.”

Angelica frowned, looking over the ingredients she had pulled from the fridge, “We definitely need to move forward because we can’t make this boy dinner with spaghetti sauce, broccoli, greek yogurt, and kale.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thought a lot about how I wanted this chapter to kind of go and hope y'all are into it! Your words so far have been so sweet, thank you so much for that! You can also still throw me a line at doievenmakeasound!


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